Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[KillerLeft]

I see we are back to fretting over the depth at C/PF and who will play where. But it doesn't take a trade to resolve. Quality depth is a good thing. And once there's an injury (it's a safe bet there will be some), or someone needs a rest day, the minutes lengthen for everyone.

If everyone is healthy and it's not a big game where AD is playing extended minutes, I think AD plays ~30, PJW ~32, and PJ will actually play more minutes at PF than AD will (and way more PF than SF).

Here's what I see as their regular rotation with Gaff/Lively, AD, PJW:
C -  Gaff/Lively split 38-40, AD ~10
PF - AD 20, PJW 28
SF - PJW 4

Of course, injuries and rest days will change things regularly. But overall what I see is quality depth and flexibility rather than issues.

Yes, they COULD trade some of their quality big man depth for a different player. (And I am so leery of how AD value will turn out, in relation to his giant contract and injury likelihood, that I would welcome a trade to alleviate my huge concern.) But imo the kind of guy to target would be another SGA, a younger Curry, a healthy Haliburton, etc, while the guys available won't be much more than the caliber of DAR, Exum, etc. ... ugh.

I agree with the emboldened portion at the end. I agree a little less on the rest, but the problem you mention is correct, I think: Making a trade that brings back less value (just value, no context) would be a mistake, and could get them back to a bare cupboard pretty quickly, and no real no-brainer of a deal was out there for sure, to our knowledge. We can debate Coby White, but there would certainly be some risk there, I agree. 

But, on the other hand, I do not agree that the rotation you've laid out above will work. They'll be playing two bigs on the floor at the same time. It's not just that I don't think that can work (which I don't), it's that I'm not interested in watching them try to make it work. It's just a repulsive style of basketball, imo. 4 minutes at the 3 from PJ is 4 minutes too many. I'm not even sure that Flagg is right for the 3, though he could be. HE needs time at the 4, too. Thompson really isn't a 2 anymore, and that's where he'll be forced to play...the displacement goes on and on. 

I stand by my opinion. The top 9 rotation of this team isn't a contender, with or without Kyrie. I think there's some room for Cooper Flagg to open things up, for sure, and that will be fun to figure out. If he can do what you seem to think and run the offense a lot (and soon), that changes the equation quite a bit, at least on the offensive side of the ball. I'm worried about both sides of the floor in the reality you lay out above, frankly. That's a sloooooow team.

I anticipate this being the major talking point of the season. I'll certainly be discussing it loudly and often (with an open mind, I hope).